This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.

Rituxan may be effective in treatment of ANCA-associated vasculitis

Add topic to email alerts

Receive an email when new articles are posted on

Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on .

Subscribe

Added to email alerts

You've successfully added to your alerts. You will receive an email when new content is published.

Click Here to Manage Email Alerts

You've successfully added to your alerts. You will receive an email when new content is published.

Click Here to Manage Email Alerts

Back to Healio

We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact customerservice@slackinc.com.

Back to Healio

Researchers at the European League Against Rheumatism Annual European Congress of Rheumatology presented real-world clinical practice data on the use of Rituxan in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis at a clinical setting in Greece.

The researchers included 16 patients with active ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) with limited data available from clinical practice. Patients’ mean age was 61.8 years and median disease duration was 33.5 months. Additionally, 88% of the patients had generalized disease, with the lungs involved in 75%; kidneys involved in 63%; joints involved in 50%; and ear, nose and throat involved in 31% of patients. Follow-up duration was mean 21.5 months.

Rituxan (rituximab, Genentech) was given to 11 patients for resistant or relapsing disease, whereas five patients received rituximab as initial treatment. One cycle was completed by seven patients, two cycles were completed by one patient and three or more cycles were completed by eight patients. Six patients who received more than one treatment followed up with an additional dose in 6 months.

At 6 months, 87% of patients (13 of 15) showed a response to treatment, with a complete response observed in six patients and a partial response in seven patients. One patient who showed no response at 6 months responded at 9 months after a second treatment. Relapse occurred in 46% of patients at follow-up, with 83% classified as minor and inconsistent treatment in four of six patients who relapsed.

No serious infections or allergic reactions were observed during follow-up. One patient with granulomatosis with polyangiitis and fulminant pulmonary-renal syndrome died from septic shock 1 month following treatment. – by Shirley Pulawski

Reference:

Thomas K, et al. Paper #AB0654. Presented at: European League Against Rheumatism Annual European Congress of Rheumatology; June 10-13, 2015; Rome.

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.